Discover 107 Unknown Words and Their Intriguing Meanings

21. Numinous (adjective)

Meaning: Feeling both fearful and awed by what is before you; spiritual or supernatural.

Example: “The numinous glow of the ancient forest left them in silent reverence.”

22. Inamorata (noun)

Meaning: A woman who is loved or admired.

Example: “He wrote a poem dedicated to his inamorata, expressing his deep affection.”

23. Sempiternal (adjective)

Meaning: Eternal; everlasting.

Example: “The sempiternal stars in the night sky have fascinated humans for millennia.”

24. Aestivate (verb)

Meaning: To spend the summer in a state of torpor or dormancy.

Example: “Certain animals aestivate during the hot, dry months to conserve energy.”

25. Ailurophobia (noun)

Meaning: An irrational fear of cats.

Example: “Her ailurophobia kept her from visiting friends who owned cats.”

26. Clinquant (adjective)

Meaning: Glittering or showy, often used to describe clothing or jewelry.

Example: “The clinquant decorations sparkled under the ballroom lights.”

27. Eunoia (noun)

Meaning: Beautiful thinking or a well-disposed mind.

Example: “His eunoia was evident in his kind and thoughtful actions.”

28. Efflorescence (noun)

Meaning: A blooming or flowering, often used to describe a period of creativity or prosperity.

Example: “The Renaissance was a period of cultural efflorescence in Europe.”

29. Adoxography (noun)

Meaning: Skilled writing on a trivial or unimportant subject.

Example: “Her essay on the history of teacups was a masterpiece of adoxography.”

30. Scintilla (noun)

Meaning: A tiny spark or trace of something.

Example: “There wasn’t a scintilla of doubt in his mind about her honesty.”

31. Querencia (noun)

Meaning: A place where one feels safe, a place from which one’s strength of character is drawn.

Example: “The quiet beach was her querencia, where she could gather her thoughts.”

32. Sagacity (noun)

Meaning: Wisdom; good judgment.

Example: “His sagacity in business matters was widely respected.”

33. Apotheosis (noun)

Meaning: The highest point in the development of something; culmination or climax.

Example: “Winning the Nobel Prize was the apotheosis of her scientific career.”

34. Noctilucent (adjective)

Meaning: Shining or glowing in the dark.

Example: “The noctilucent clouds created a surreal glow in the twilight sky.”

35. Thalassophile (noun)

Meaning: A lover of the sea.

Example: “As a thalassophile, he spent every summer sailing and diving.”

36. Pastiche (noun)

Meaning: A work of art that imitates the style of another artist or period.

Example: “The film was a pastiche of 1940s noir classics.”

37. Lissome (adjective)

Meaning: Graceful, flexible, agile.

Example: “The lissome dancer moved with extraordinary fluidity.”

38. Solipsism (noun)

Meaning: The belief that only one’s own mind is sure to exist.

Example: “His philosophy leaned dangerously towards solipsism, questioning the reality of everything but his own thoughts.”

39. Halation (noun)

Meaning: The halo-like effect produced by light in photographs.

Example: “The portrait’s soft halation gave it a dreamlike quality.”

40. Mellisonant (adjective)

Meaning: Sweet-sounding; musical.

Example: “Her mellisonant voice captivated the audience.”

41. Inamorato (noun)

Meaning: A man who is loved or admired.

Example: “She often spoke fondly of her inamorato, whom she planned to marry.”

42. Nubivagant (adjective)

Meaning: Wandering in the clouds; moving through the air.

Example: “The nubivagant balloons drifted gracefully across the sky.”

43. Eleutheromania (noun)

Meaning: An intense and irresistible desire for freedom.

Example: “His eleutheromania drove him to travel the world without any constraints.”

44. Luminiferous (adjective)

Meaning: Producing or transmitting light.

Example: “The luminiferous lantern lit up the entire room.”

45. Taciturn (adjective)

Meaning: Reserved or uncommunicative in speech; saying little.

Example: “Despite his taciturn nature, his presence was always felt in the room.”

46. Sussurous (adjective)

Meaning: Producing a soft, rustling sound.

Example: “The sussurous leaves created a calming backdrop to their conversation.”

47. Pneuma (noun)

Meaning: The breath of life; spirit or soul.

Example: “The ancient philosophers believed that pneuma was the vital force that animated living beings.”

48. Verisimilitude (noun)

Meaning: The appearance of being true or real.

Example: “The novel’s verisimilitude made readers feel as if they were part of the story.”

49. Xenization (noun)

Meaning: The act of traveling as a stranger in a foreign land.

Example: “His xenization experience in Asia profoundly changed his perspective on life.”

50. Selenophile (noun)

Meaning: A person who loves the moon.

Example: “As a dedicated selenophile, she spent hours gazing at the night sky.”

51. Agathism (noun)

Meaning: The belief in the ultimate triumph of good over evil.

Example: “Her agathism kept her hopeful even in difficult times.”

52. Liminal (adjective)

Meaning: Occupying a position at or on both sides of a boundary or threshold.

Example: “The liminal space between dream and reality can be both intriguing and disorienting.”

53. Vernalagnia (noun)

Meaning: A romantic mood brought on by spring.

Example: “Every year, the vernalagnia made him eager for new beginnings.”

54. Opulence (noun)

Meaning: Great wealth or luxuriousness.

Example: “The opulence of the mansion was evident in its grand architecture and lavish furnishings.”

55. Anemoia (noun)

Meaning: Nostalgia for a time you’ve never known.

Example: “She felt a strange anemoia when looking at old photographs of the 1920s.”

56. Bombinate (verb)

Meaning: To make a humming or buzzing sound.

Example: “The bees bombinate as they flit from flower to flower.”

57. Hypnagogic (adjective)

Meaning: Relating to the state of drowsiness immediately preceding sleep.

Example: “She often experienced hypnagogic visions just as she was about to fall asleep.”

58. Selenology (noun)

Meaning: The scientific study of the moon.

Example: “His fascination with lunar phases led him to study selenology.”

59. Mellification (noun)

Meaning: The process of turning a human body into honey, as was believed to be possible in ancient times.

Example: “Mellification was an ancient practice that few believed in today.”

60. Nostomania (noun)

Meaning: An intense homesickness or longing for a place you once lived.

Example: “His nostomania grew stronger every time he thought of his childhood home.”

61. Somnambulist (noun)

Meaning: A sleepwalker.

Example: “The somnambulist wandered through the house in the middle of the night.”

62. Sylph (noun)

Meaning: A graceful, slender, and delicate person, often used to describe a woman.

Example: “She moved with the elegance of a sylph across the dance floor.”

63. Visceral (adjective)

Meaning: Relating to deep inward feelings rather than intellect.

Example: “His visceral reaction to the news was one of anger and disbelief.”

64. Ubiety (noun)

Meaning: The condition of being in a definite place; location.

Example: “The ubiety of the artifact made it easier for archaeologists to determine its origins.”

65. Verspertine (adjective)

Meaning: Relating to or occurring in the evening.

Example: “The vespertine light cast long shadows across the garden.”

66. Xylophile (noun)

Meaning: A person who loves wood or forests.

Example: “As a xylophile, he spent most of his weekends hiking through the woods.”

67. Mudita (noun)

Meaning: Taking delight in the happiness of others.

Example: “She felt genuine mudita when her friend received the promotion.”

68. Novaturient (adjective)

Meaning: Desiring or seeking powerful change in one’s life, behavior, or situation.

Example: “His novaturient spirit led him to travel and explore new cultures.”

69. Papilionaceous (adjective)

Meaning: Resembling a butterfly; used to describe the shape of certain flowers.

Example: “The papilionaceous blooms added a touch of elegance to the garden.”

70. Peripatetic (adjective)

Meaning: Traveling from place to place, especially working or based in various places for relatively short periods.

Example: “Her peripatetic lifestyle made it difficult to maintain long-term relationships.”

71. Schwellenangst (noun)

Meaning: Fear of crossing a threshold to embark on something new.

Example: “He felt a sense of schwellenangst before starting his new job.”

72. Solivagant (adjective)

Meaning: Wandering alone.

Example: “The solivagant traveler found peace in the solitude of the mountains.”

73. Synchronicity (noun)

Meaning: The occurrence of events that appear significantly related but have no discernible causal connection.

Example: “The synchronicity of their meetings seemed too perfect to be mere coincidence.”

74. Syzygy (noun)

Meaning: An alignment of celestial bodies.

Example: “The syzygy of the sun, moon, and earth created a spectacular solar eclipse.”

75. Vellichor (noun)

Meaning: The strange wistfulness of used bookstores.

Example: “He wandered through the aisles, feeling vellichor with each old book he picked up.”

76. Serotinal (adjective)

Meaning: Pertaining to late summer.

Example: “The serotinal blooms added a splash of color to the garden as summer waned.”

77. Psithurism (noun)

Meaning: The sound of rustling leaves.

Example: “The psithurism in the forest was a soothing backdrop to their hike.”

78. Eigengrau (noun)

Meaning: The color seen by the eye in perfect darkness.

Example: “As she closed her eyes, she was enveloped in eigengrau.”

79. Ephemeroptera (noun)

Meaning: The order of insects that includes mayflies.

Example: “The ephemeroptera’s brief lifecycle is a marvel of nature.”

80. Serein (noun)

Meaning: Fine, light rain falling after sunset or in early evening.

Example: “The serein created a peaceful atmosphere in the twilight.”

81. Ethereal (adjective)

Meaning: Extremely delicate and light in a way that seems too perfect for this world.

Example: “The ethereal beauty of the angelic figure left everyone in awe.”

82. Peregrinate (verb)

Meaning: To travel or wander around from place to place.

Example: “They decided to peregrinate through Europe during their gap year.”

83. Halcyon (adjective)

Meaning: Denoting a period of time in the past that was idyllically happy and peaceful.

Example: “She often reminisced about the halcyon days of her childhood summers.”

84. Fernweh (noun)

Meaning: An ache for distant places; the craving for travel.

Example: “His fernweh grew stronger every time he saw pictures of far-off places.”

85. Vagary (noun)

Meaning: An unpredictable or erratic action or occurrence.

Example: “The vagary of the weather in the mountains made the hike challenging.”

86. Gadabout (noun)

Meaning: A person who travels often or to many different places for pleasure.

Example: “As a gadabout, she had visited almost every continent by the age of thirty.”

87. Hanyauku (noun)

Meaning: The act of walking on tiptoes across hot sand.

Example: “They had to hanyauku quickly to avoid burning their feet on the scorching beach.”

88. Meriggiare (verb)

Meaning: To rest at midday in a shady spot, avoiding the sun.

Example: “During their Mediterranean vacation, they would often meriggiare under the olive trees.”

89. Acnestis (noun)

Meaning: The part of the back between the shoulder blades that you cannot reach to scratch.

Example: “He always needed help to scratch his acnestis.”

90. Ailurophile (noun)

Meaning: A person who loves cats.

Example: “Being an ailurophile, she volunteered at the local animal shelter to care for stray cats.”

91. Alacrity (noun)

Meaning: Brisk and cheerful readiness.

Example: “She accepted the invitation with alacrity.”

92. Amaranthine (adjective)

Meaning: Undying; not subject to fading.

Example: “The amaranthine beauty of the artwork captivated all who saw it.”

93. Aphelion (noun)

Meaning: The point in the orbit of a planet, asteroid, or comet at which it is furthest from the sun.

Example: “During aphelion, the planet experiences slightly cooler temperatures.”

94. Aporia (noun)

Meaning: An expression of doubt or uncertainty.

Example: “The philosopher’s aporia led to a deep discussion among the students.”

95. Ataraxia (noun)

Meaning: A state of serene calmness.

Example: “Meditation helped her achieve a sense of ataraxia.”

96. Apricity (noun)

Meaning: The warmth of the sun in winter.

Example: “They enjoyed the apricity while having their picnic on the snowy hill.”

97. Bimble (verb)

Meaning: To walk or travel aimlessly.

Example: “They decided to bimble through the countryside, enjoying the sights and sounds.”

98. Cafuné (noun)

Meaning: The act of running your fingers through a loved one’s hair.

Example: “She found comfort in the simple act of cafuné.”

99. Copacetic (adjective)

Meaning: In excellent order.

Example: “Despite the chaos around them, everything in their home remained copacetic.”

100. Cosmogyral (adjective)

Meaning: Whirling around the universe.

Example: “The cosmogyral motion of the stars was mesmerizing.”

101. Elysian (adjective)

Meaning: Relating to or characteristic of heaven or paradise.

Example: “The garden had an elysian beauty, with its vibrant flowers and tranquil atmosphere.”

102. Peiskos (noun)

Meaning: The feeling of comfort and coziness from sitting in front of a fire.

Example: “The peiskos of the fireplace made the cold winter evenings bearable.”

103. Selcouth (adjective)

Meaning: Unfamiliar, rare, strange, and yet marvelous.

Example: “The selcouth artifact drew the attention of everyone at the museum.”

104. Snuggery (noun)

Meaning: A cozy or comfortable place.

Example: “Her favorite snuggery was the reading nook by the window.”

105. Nyctophilia (noun)

Meaning: Love of darkness or night; finding relaxation or comfort in the darkness.

Example: “Her nyctophilia made her enjoy the tranquility of late-night walks.”

106. Orphic (adjective)

Meaning: Mysterious and entrancing; beyond ordinary understanding.

Example: “The orphic music captivated everyone at the concert.”

107. Paladin (noun)

Meaning: A trusted military leader; a defender of a noble cause.

Example: “The paladin led his troops with honor and bravery.”